For those who are against universal healthcare?

Question

I recently asked this question:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AhBOw5g3erFAHR.zLEFhl9_sy6IX?qid=20070731115900AAiqp2l

Only one person answered the question, the others were on a rant about taxes. Now, let's try this again. For those of you who are opposed to universal healthcare or universal insurance, who takes care of your elderly parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles. Do they have medicare? How is their insurance? Are any of them on a fixed income? Have any of them been denied medical procedures or medication that might make them more comfortable or prolong their lives?

A lot of the folks who lean to the conservative side ARE intelligent, please try to answer the question WITHOUT a rant on taxes? I'm not asking about increased taxes, I'm asking about the people in your life that you love.

No trolls please.

WHEW thanks to the few of you who actually answered the question. I asked specifically about elderly parents or grandparents to see if some of you have any compassion. I guess if you were smart enough to "plan" for your retirement, you're doing OK. What about the folks whose pensions went south with outsourcing? My father was with the union for many years, retired from a great manfucaturing job and now sees his benefits decreasing every year. Who plans on that happening?

Joru-thanks for the post, it makes sense

Sweetpea, I always enjoy your answers, but I hate to tell you, the elderly and the poor are not taken care of, that's why I asked about elderly parents. There are a lot of people who can't afford their meds, regardless of whether they planned their retirement or not. Not everyone who is poor has any kind of insurance or welfare or SSI. SOmetimes people get sick when they are uninsured and can't get the treatment that they need. I know someone who has worked hard his whole life and didn't have health insurance, the company he worked for didn't offer it. He got sick with a terminal illness and he goes to hospital clinics where he is not getting the treatment he needs that he would get if he went to a private doctor with private insurance. The bottom line is hospitals are overcrowded with people like him and they aren't going to make any money on them so why give them quality care? Is that your idea of taken care of?

Tom- Pink--thanks for the support!!! I posted this to see if any conservative folk had any idea of what is really going in reality. Apparently no one's parents or grandparents are in nursing homes or assisted living facilities, and don't have to choose whether they should buy their meds this month or buy food.

Be kind - thumbs up for you, you are so right about this litigous society we live in. Thank you for an intelligent answer.

how would you know--thanks for your watered down answer, and it's funny you should mention Hitler in your answer. Wasnt he the one who killed off the elderly and the sick?????

Black Son- Hope you don't ever lose your medical insurance, then you'll find out what it's like. I don't know how old you are, but I'm thinking maybe you are pretty young and immature rather than older and so self centered. Your attitude is that of a typical right winger...only out for yourself.

Answer 1

Pink -
Love that name by the way
here is the real deal or issue with universal Heath care
It means change
when you get down to it, 80% pf the folks in this country are covered by some heath care they are generally satisfied with.
These are the folks that pay taxes and also vote
What defeated this in '92 was that it would require change - and the folks that vote did not want to change

Answer 2

I am a moderate conservative but I don't have any problem with the idea of Universal Health Care. The real problem, and the reason most conservative really harp on taxes, is that the American people don't want any more. The way the system is set up there is no way to fund Univ Health Care without raising taxes a ton. Germany, for instance, has great healthcare. If you're stressed at work your doctor can send you to a health spa for 6 weeks and you still get paid what your job usually pays you but there tax rate is something near 40 or 50%, last time I check (could be wrong), whereas our tax rates are 10-30% and mostly closer to middle of that. Change has to start with the reworking of the whole healthcare system to make it more economically feasable and less wastefull. If that happens and taxes go up just a little I think a lot more conservative will be up for it. Good Question.

Answer 3

Lawsuits have driven up the cost of medical care in this country. Malpractice insurance is a huge cost to the doctors in the country. Perhaps there should be limits set to the amount of money a person can win in a negligence suit. If a doctor cuts off the wrong leg and you end up with no legs, what is that worth? There should definitely still be recourse for these types of victims.

During the Reagan administration, the length of time required for testing of new medications was drastically reduced. Since that time, there have been many more cases of prescription drug related health problems/deaths for which people are suing. One answer to this would be to increase the testing standards of these medications.

There are many frivolous lawsuits in this country as well. I don't ever remember this type of stupidity going on years ago. The lost pants from the dry cleaners, the infamous hot coffee, etc., should never make it to court. People used to have more sense and would have been actually embarrassed to pursue such greedy, ridiculous lawsuits. Get rich quick schemes should not be encouraged by a judicial system.

I believe there are other ways to address this issue. The insurance companies are driving down the cost of medical care. This avenue should be pursued more agressively even if there is a universal health care program initiated. It should be done through private companies and not be a government bureacracy. I do believe that 46 million people unable to afford health care is totally unacceptable and must be addressed through multiple means.

Answer 4

The whole problem with universal healthcare is that it doesn't address the reason why people don't have health care.

The cost isn't the reason. The cost is an effect of the reason. The reason is that there simply isn't enough of it for everyone to have all they want.

Universal health care ignores the cause, and treats the symptom, but gauranteeing payment of all medical bills will not produce a single tablet of aspirin, will not create any new nurses, doctors, or hospital beds.

If we want affordable health care, we need more providers. The socialism of the system so far, coupled with unreasonable malpractice insurance costs, has driven providers out of the business, as has our liability claims against drug manufacturers driven over 75% of them out of business in the US in the last fifteen years.

Government involvement is the problem, not the solution.

Answer 5

Universally healthcare to help the people who need it would be nice. The problem is that there is no universal answer. Developing a healthcare like that will be a huge project and will take many, many years.

Many countries have some sort of universal healthcare, but the quality of care tends to diminsh. The quality of care and medical advancement tend to be better in the US because of the capitalist system. Doctors and hospitals make more so they are more motivated to work on these problems. Are there exceptions? Of course.

There isn't a perfect system. If we make the choice to develop a universal healthcare system in the US everyone needs to be aware of the trade offs. We need to deal with facts and not political agendas.

People ranted about taxes because taxes will have to increase in order to sustain a program like this. The right believe that everyone should support themselves and don't believe that they should support people who could support themselves. Most do not have a problem helping the handicapped or elderly who cannot help themselves due to physical limitations.

Answer 6

It's pretty hard to talk about Universal Healthcare without bringing the financial side into it. It's a pipe-dream without a realistic financial plan. However, I'll try to discuss it a little without bringing up the word 'tax'.

My parents have their own insurance that takes care of their medical expenses. My dad worked for GE for almost 40 years. His parents were both in nursing homes and their own insurance covered the costs.

My parents have an HMO. They make co-pays and have deductables. Both of my parents are on a fixed income and are raising one of their grandchildren (not my kid :-P). They do what it takes to pay for their medical expenses and prescription drugs, just like almost everyone else in their family. They've had some medical problems typical of a couple in their 60's who've worked hard their whole life, and their grandchild has also had medical problems typical of any young kid. It all comes out of their pocket.

Meanwhile, we have one sister on Medicare because she's decided to have 3 kids from 3 different guys, loves to smoke, drink, and party. She could care less about her medical bills. I've seen her throw unopened medical bills directly into the trash.

I'm sure there are some people who need medicare. There are those working their backsides off trying to provide for themselves and their children. Maybe life has thrown them some pretty hard times. I don't have a problem giving them a hand.
However, there are probably just as many like my sister (if not more) who've squandered everything given to them with no care for the consequences.

Where does it say anywhere in our Constitution or Bill of Rights that everyone in this country has a right to 'Feel comfortable' or to 'be healthy' or anything even resembling that idea? The Bill of Rights doesn't give a 'Right' to Health or Happiness. It's gives the 'Right' of the PURSUIT of Happiness. That's what's so good about this country. If you work hard and aren't afraid to take a couple chances, you can create your own opportunities.

If I had to, I would spend my last dime for the health of my wife or kids or parents. But I don't think anyone else, including my government, should have to pay for me.

Answer 7

Who takes care of your elderly parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles?
You do if you love your family, it may seem harsh but it is not my fault that they did not plan well for retirement nor should i have to pay for there food, housing, or medical treatment. It is about people taking responsibility for them selves and there family.

Do they have medicare?
Medicare was a bad idea.

How is their insurance?
Push the government to put a cap on insurance for people under 18 and over 65.

Are any of them on a fixed income?
Most are if they did not plan for retirement.

Have any of them been denied medical procedures or medication that might make them more comfortable or prolong their lives?
Send a letter to your congressman to make it law that the doctors decides what is needed not your insurance.

Answer 8

Your question is the same as asking if Hitler was a good or evil man... and then demanding that nobody say anything about him killing millions and invading his neighbors. It doesn't make sense and it completely distorts any realistic answer.

But to answer your watered down question... yes, I have elderly relatives on Medicare. And I'm not aware of any procedure being denied to them.

Answer 9

Thomas Jefferson explained in a letter to Albert Gallatin, “Congress has not unlimited powers to provide for the general welfare, but only those specifically enumerated.”

James Madison also said, “If Congress can do whatever in their discretion can be done by money, and will promote the General Welfare, the Government is no longer a limited one, possessing enumerated powers, but an indefinite one, subject to particular exceptions.”
“The powers delegated by the proposed Constitution to the federal government are few and defined . . . to be exercised principally on external objects, as war, peace, negotiation, and foreign commerce."


Limited government in a constitutional framework, or unlimited government where the constitution is a green light for unlimited power to the party currently in office? I think you see which one we have, and spending on charity was part of the road to it.

The 9th, 10th Amendments reserve all rights not specifically granted to Congress to the States and the people. A state by state system even makes more sense in terms of competing systems, smaller scale leading to less corruption, and staying out of the loaded national debate.

Answer 10

I think the idea of universal healthcare is detrimental to our country,and here is why. Do you really want the government involved in your healthcare??? What makes our country great is the freedom to be ourselves, and not controlled by anyone. If I am sick, I do not want the government to tell me what is best for me, I think the healthcare that I choose should be the one that is best for me. The government is just wanting to take one more freedom away from us if this goes through.

Our current healthcare is not perfect, but it's the best thing for Americans.